Jesus Lives Here Minstry "Welcome Home"

Jesus Lives Here Minstry "Welcome Home" Assuredly, Absolutely, And Most Indeed Jesus Lives Here, There, And Everywhere! Just Look Around And Feel Him! He Is Waiting Patiently For Us! Amen!

20/11/2023

Hand Of God

What Does God’s Word, The Bible Teach Us About The Hand Of God?

Why should we fear when we are in God’s hands, the Creator of the universe?

He will guide us through every tough situation and direct us on the right path.

When we are going through trials we might not understand the moving Hand of God, but later we will understand why.

God is working when we are asking questions.

Please allow Him to lead us.

Please follow our Holy Spirit.

Please do not turn away from God’s will.

Please humble ourselves before our Lord and trust in Him.

Please trust that God will lead us out of the fire, but we must allow Him to guide us.

Please commit to Him in prayer!

Please do not think to ourselves it is not working, please do not stop seeking His face until the battle is won.

Please study God’s Word daily to better understand and recognize His hand working in our life!

God’s Hand In God’s Word, The Bible!

Psalms 89:13-15
13 Your arm is endowed with power; your hand is strong, your right hand exalted.
14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you.
15 Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, LORD.

Psalms 118:16
16 The LORD’s right hand is lifted high; the LORD’s right hand has done mighty things!”

Ecclesiastes 2:24
24 A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God,

Ecclesiastes 9:1
1 So I reflected on all this and concluded that the righteous and the wise and what they do are in God’s hands, but no one knows whether love or hate awaits them.

1 Peter 5:6-7
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

The Powerful Hand Of God In Creation!

Job 12:9-10
9 Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this?
10 In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.

Isaiah 48:13
13 My own hand laid the foundations of the earth, and my right hand spread out the heavens; when I summon them, they all stand up together.

Jeremiah 32:17
17 “Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.

John 1:3
3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

Colossians 1:17
17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Please Do Not Be Afraid, The Mighty Hand Of God Is Near!

Exodus 15:6
6 Your right hand, LORD, was majestic in power. Your right hand, LORD, shattered the enemy.

Psalms 10:12
12 Arise, LORD! Lift up your hand, O God. Do not forget the helpless.

Psalms 110:1-2
1 The LORD says to my lord:“Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”
2 The LORD will extend your mighty scepter from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of your enemies!”

Psalms 136:12-13
12 with a mighty hand and outstretched arm; His love endures forever.
13 to him who divided the Red Sea asunder His love endures forever.

Isaiah 41:10
10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Jesus Is At The Right Hand Of God!

Mark 16:19
19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God.

Acts 2:32-33
32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it.
33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.

Revelation 1:17
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.

God’s Word, The Bible Teaches Us And Reminds Us!

Joshua 4:24
24 He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God.”

John 4:24
24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

Colossians 3:1
1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

How Can We See The Hand Of God Moving In Our Life?

The moving of the hand of God seems to be one area in which the saying “hindsight is 20/20” is particularly true.

Often when we are going through a difficult or confusing time, we are unaware of how God is guiding us.

Years later it becomes very clear why God brought us through that experience the way He did.

Looking back, the hand of God can be clearly seen moving, guiding, protecting, etc.

A time of trial is rarely enjoyable.

At the same time, there are many instances where a trial or struggle is looked upon as the most meaningful spiritual time in a person’s life.

This is why James exhorts us to “consider it pure joy” when we encounter various trials, because they are immensely valuable to our spiritual lives!

James 1:2
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,

How can we better recognize the hand of God moving in our lives?

First, we must familiarize ourselves with God’s Word, which teaches us about who God is and what He does!

2 Timothy 3:16-17
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Similar to how an instruction manual helps us to understand a particular device, reading God’s Word helps us to understand how God works and how we should respond to Him.

Second, we must communicate with God through prayer. We can ask God for wisdom!

James 1:5
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

We can ask God to help us recognize, and submit to, His Hand.

We can thank Him for how His Hand has guided us.

We can ask Him to help us learn His lesson, in His time, for whatever time His Hand is bringing us through.

Third, we must trust God.

Just as a son often rebels against the guidance of his father—not trusting his judgment or not accepting his discipline—so do we often fight against the Hand of God:

"Why did You allow this?”

“Why must I do that?”

“Is there not another way?"

While it is not wrong to ask these questions in a spirit of humility, it is wrong to doubt God’s goodness or the quality of His plan.

Many times in our lives, we make an ordeal worse by not trusting and obeying God and by not quickly learning the intended lesson.

The Hand of God is a symbol of God’s guidance, instruction, and discipline.

The more we recognize the Hand of God, the better we will be able to follow His lead.

Through the study of God’s Word, a strong prayer life, and an abiding trust in God, we can learn to recognize, trust, and enjoy the Hand of God moving in our lives!

Again-Our Father!
Again-Our Son!
Again-Our Holy Spirit!

Thank You!
Thank You For Listening!
Thank You For Loving Us!

Amen!

19/11/2023

Letting Go

What Does God’s Word, The Bible Teach Us About Letting Go?

Letting go is one of the hardest things to do.

It is so easy to try to hold on to things, but we must trust that our Lord has something better.

Letting go of a relationship, hurt, fear, past mistakes, sin, guilt, slander, anger, failures, regrets, worry, etc. is easier when we realize that God is in control.

Please realize that God has allowed and used these things and these people in our life to build us up.

Now we must move on towards Him.

What God has in store for us is never in the past.

He has something better than that relationship.

He has something greater than our worries and our fears.

He has something greater than our past mistakes, but we must trust in Him, stand strong, let go, and keep on moving to see what God has in store for us.

Please enjoy these inspirational letting go verses!

Letting Go And Letting God!

Please set our eyes upon our Lord!

Sometimes we hold on to things such as unhealthy relationships and doing our own will because we think to ourselves maybe there will be a change.

We still hold on to hope in things other than God.

We put our hope in relationships, situations, our mind, etc.

We can strengthen that desire to hold on to things that God does not want in our life by constantly picturing it in our life and imagining how it would be and how we think it should be.

We can train ourselves and say, “God wants this for me!”

What we are doing is making it harder on ourselves to let go.

Please stop looking at all of these different things and instead look to our Lord.

Please keep our mind on our Lord!

Proverbs 4:25-27
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.

Isaiah 26:3
3 You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.

Colossians 3:2
2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Let Go Of Control And Trust God!

Please do not trust in those thoughts that might come to our head.

That is leaning on our own understanding.

Please trust in our Lord.

Please allow Him to control.

Please do not allow our thoughts to control us!

Psalms 62:8
8 Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.

Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Please Start Letting Go Of The Past And Move On!

We will never do God’s will when we are living in the past.

Looking back will distract us from what is in front of us.

The devil will try to remind us of our past mistakes, sins, failures, etc.

The devil will say, “You messed up now, you messed up God’s plan for you!”

satan is a liar.

We are where God wants us to be.

Please do not dwell on the past, keep moving forward!

Job 17:9
9 the righteous shall move onward and forward; those with pure hearts shall become stronger and stronger.

Isaiah 43:18
18 “But forget all that— it is nothing compared to what I am going to do.

1 Corinthians 9:24
24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

Philippians 3:13-14
13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,
14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

God Sees The Full Picture!

We have to let go.

Sometimes the things we are holding on to will harm us in ways we do not even understand and God is protecting us.

God sees what we do not see and He sees what we refuse to see!

Proverbs 2:7-9
7 he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
8 guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints.
9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path;

1 Corinthians 13:12
12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

Please Let Go Of Our Hurt And Give It To God!

No one ever said letting go would not be painful.

No one ever said we would not cry, we would not have hurt, we would not feel confused, etc.

No one understands the pain that we are feeling at the moment except for us and God.

That is why we must bring our pain to God.

Sometimes the pain hurts so much that we cannot even speak.

We have to speak with our heart and say, “God You Know!”

“Please Help!”

“Help Me!”

God knows the disappointment, frustration, the pain, and the worry.

Sometimes we have to cry out for this special peace that He gives in prayer to help us cope with the situation.

It is this special peace that will give us a sound mind and contentment in our situation time and time again.

It is like Jesus is giving us an Everlasting hug that helps us recover.

Like a good father God lets us know that everything is going to be OK!

Psalms 55:22
22 Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.

Matthew 11:28-30
28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

John 14:27
27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Philippians 4:6-7
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

1 Peter 5:6-7
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Why Stress Ourselves By Dwelling On The Past?

Matthew 6:25-34
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?
26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life ?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.
29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.
30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?
31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Letting God Take Control!

God is moving!

God allows these situations to build us up, help us grow in faith, and prepare us for something better!

Romans 8:28-29
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

James 1:2-4
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

James 1:12
12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

James 1:17
17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Letting Go Of Anger!

Holding on to the anger and the bitterness will hurt us more than anyone!

Ephesians 4:31-32
31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.
32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Sometimes Letting Go Requires Us To Repent!

Please ask for forgiveness.

God is faithful to forgive and pour out His love upon us!

Psalms 25:6-7
6 Remember, LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you, LORD, are good.

Psalms 51:10
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Hebrews 8:12
12 For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

Please We Must Remember That God Loves Us Greatly And He Will Fight For Us!

It is so hard to understand God’s great love for us when we look in the mirror and see our past failures.

God loves us so much.

Please pray for a better understanding of His love.

His love for us is greater than our regret and pain.

Please never doubt His love for us.

His love is key in letting go!

2 Thessalonians 3:5
5 May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ.

Jude 1:21-22
21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
22 Be merciful to those who doubt;

Please Let Go Of Our Worry, The Almighty God Is In Control!

Psalms 46:10-11
10 Let go [of your concerns]! Then you will know that I am God. I rule the nations. I rule the earth.
11 The LORD of Armies is with us. The God of Jacob is our stronghold.

Please Continually Pray For Wisdom, Pray For Guidance, Pray For Peace, And Pray That God Helps Us To Let Go!

Getting over a painful experience is much like crossing monkey bars for we have to let go at some point in order to move forward!

Decisions sometimes prove to be the hardest to make, especially when it is a choice between where we should be and where we really want to be!

Let God have our life; He can do more with it than we can!

It hurts to let go, but sometimes it hurts more to hold on!

Let go of the past so that God can open the door to our future!

When we finally let go something better comes along!

To heal our wound we need to stop touching it!

We always struggle so hard to hold on, but God says, “Trust Me And Let Go!”

Again-Our Father!
Again-Our Son!
Again-Our Holy Spirit!

Thank You!
Thank You For Listening!
Thank You For Loving Us!

Amen!

18/11/2023

Feeling Lonely

We have all been here:

Lonely.

Longing to feel connected, needed, known.

Wishing relationships were not so hard—or so hard to find.

Wanting closer friends, others who “get” us in that deep-down, soul-mate, friends-forever way.

Wishing others knew us well enough to sense what we are going through and what we need.

Searching for a place to pour out all the stored-up love in our hearts—a place to serve, to give, to offer our precious gifts.

For some of us, loneliness is an occasional struggle.

For others it is a constant shadow.

Loneliness has been especially prevalent during the isolating unknowns of quarantine and social distancing.

We have all felt the pangs of loneliness as never before.

Pangs are a sudden sharp pain or painful emotion.

God’s Word, the Bible offers us deep encouragement for our seasons of loneliness.

We find examples of men and women in Scriptures grappling with loneliness and bringing their hurting hearts to God.

We find prayers to pray, encouragement from our Father, and ideas to help us move forward.

Here are a few Bible verses to lift us when we are feeling lonely:

One:

Psalm 139:1-12
1 You have searched me, LORD, and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely.
5 You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,”
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

We are interesting.

Our relationship is valuable.

We are worth knowing.

Almighty God, our Creator, has taken the time to examine us—to get to know our inmost heart!

And God does not waste His time.

Now drink in a few more astounding truths we glean or gather from this passage:

We may feel alone, but in truth, we are never alone.

God is always with us.

Always watching, listening, and supporting.

We are protected.

God goes before us and behind us.

He walks with us, guiding, comforting, and strengthening us.

We cannot escape God’s love.

Sometimes we choose loneliness—we isolate ourselves because of fear, anxiety, or shame.

But even in the darkest of places, even when we try to hide, our loving God is here, there and everywhere!

Two:

1 Corinthians 12:4-7
4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.
5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.
6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.

And

1 Corinthians 12:26-27
26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

We have gifts to share.

We were made to give.

Sometimes the best cure for loneliness is finding places to give.

God’s Word, The Bible Teaches Us!

Ephesians 2:10
10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

God has equipped us with particular strengths because He has good works for us to do.

Is there someone in our neighborhood in need?

Someone at work, school, or church we can encourage?

Someone in our family who needs comfort?

Sometimes we find friendship and connection when we stop searching for them—and start looking instead for others we can serve.

Somewhere along the way, our joy and sense of purpose reignite, and we find that we are not as alone as we thought!

Three:

Hebrews 4:14-16
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.
16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

We are not alone in our struggles.

Jesus understands.

Sometimes we feel lonely because we are painfully aware of our own weakness and sin and perhaps tell ourselves:

“I am the only one who has ever sinned like this, struggled like this.”

We feel isolated by the shackles of shame and perhaps then tell ourselves:

“If anyone knew who I really was, they would never be my friend, and they certainly would not let me in.”

But this is why Jesus came.

He came to battle sin so that He might understand the struggles we face.

He knows how powerful satan is, and He remembers the intensity of the spiritual battle.

God’s Word, the Bible reminds us that Jesus stands before our Father to intercede on our behalf:

Romans 8:34b
34b Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

We are not alone in our weakness, nor are we abandoned when we sin.

Through Jesus, God has provided a way back to Himself, and He is always waiting for us with open arms and a grace-filled heart!

Four:

Psalm 63:3-5
3 Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.
4 I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.
5 I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

Our Relationship With God Can Fill Us.

God’s love is better than anything else we try to fill ourselves with—better than life itself!

God’s love does not just take the edge off our loneliness for it fills us until we are “fully satisfied!”

And God does not just offer a hungry person a nibble of food so they do not starve.

He offers us a feast!

Even when our relationships are scarce or imperfect, we can find fulfillment, comfort, and connection in our walk with God!

Five:

Psalm 73:23-28
23 Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
27 Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
28 But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.

We belong to God always, no matter what this life throws at us.

If you read Psalm 73 in its entirety, we will see that the Psalmist was struggling in his faith, wondering if perhaps this world was a better place than God’s kingdom.

This world’s way looks easy, while God’s way is harder.

But as the writer enters the place of worship, a Godly perspective returns.

He remembers:
“I am God’s, and God is all I need!”

We still have God’s love and care even when the worst happens!

Even if our health fails!

Even when our spirit grows weak from discouragement or loneliness!

Even in those dark places, God is there, eager to strengthen us!

Our relationships can be limited by distance, time, and mortal frailty, but our relationship with God has no limits and no expiration date!

Our feelings are sometimes at odds with the truth.

We may feel alone, but we are not and never alone!

We may feel worthless, but God has great purposes for us!

When loneliness strikes, please let the Scriptures remind us:

We have God, always with us!

We have strengths and a God-given purpose!

We have Jesus, who understands us, defends us, and provides a way back to God for us!

We have a divine relationship, one that never fails and fully fills!

We have a place at God’s side even when this world shuts us out or lets us down!

God Is Ours And We Are His!

FOREVER!
Again-Our Father!
Again-Our Son!
Again-Our Holy Spirit!

Thank You!
Thank You For Listening!
Thank You For Loving Us!
Thank You For Always Being Here, There And Everywhere!

Amen!

17/11/2023

Missing Someone

Are you missing a family member or a friend who moved away? Maybe it’s someone who is away just for the moment, or someone who passed away?

Perhaps we are experiencing the death of a loved one?

God’s Word, the Bible teaches us!

Job 19:25-27
25 I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth.
26 And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God;
27 I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!

John 11:25-27
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;
26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

John 14:1-7
1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God ; believe also in me.
2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”
5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

Romans 8:31-39
31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.
34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,
39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 14:7-9
7 For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone.
8 If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
9 For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.
14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.
15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.
16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Whenever we are missing a loved one seek God’s assistance for comfort.

Please ask God to encourage and heal our heart.

In all situations remember, He is our almighty God.

He loves to hear the prayers of the righteous and He is there for us and He will provide us with strength!

Please Pray To Our Lord For help, Comfort, And Encouragement!

Psalms 10:17
17 You, LORD, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,

Psalms 62:8
8 Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.

Psalms 102:17
17 He will respond to the prayer of the destitute; he will not despise their plea.

Philippians 4:6-7
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Brokenhearted!

Psalms 34:17-19
17 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.
18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
19 The righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all;

Psalms 147:3-5
3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
4 He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.
5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.

A Glad Heart!

Proverbs 15:13
13 A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed.

Proverbs 17:22
22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

John 16:22
22 So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.

He Is The God Of Comfort!

Isaiah 40:1
1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.

Isaiah 66:13
13 As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.”

2 Corinthians 1:3-4
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,
4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

God Will Give Us Peace In Our Time Of Need!

Isaiah 26:3-4
3 You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.
4 Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD himself, is the Rock eternal.

John 16:33
33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Colossians 3:15
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Give Our Lord Thanks In All Situations!

Ephesians 5:20
20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
16 Rejoice always,
17 pray continually,
18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

God Is Our Strength!

Deuteronomy 31:6
6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Joshua 1:9
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Psalms 46:1
1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Psalms 59:9-10
9 You are my strength, I watch for you; you, God, are my fortress,
10 my God on whom I can rely. God will go before me and will let me gloat over those who slander me.

Psalms 59:16
16 But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.

Philippians 4:13
13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

God’s Word, The Bible Teaches Us And Reminds Us!

Psalms 23
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.

Psalms 48:14
14 that this is God, our God forever and ever. He will guide us forever.

Isaiah 40:11
11 He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young.

James 5:13
13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.

Missing someone is our heart’s way of reminding us that we love them!

Again-Our Father!
Again-Our Son!
Again-Our Holy Spirit!

Thank You!
Thank You For Listening!
Thank You For Loving Us!

Amen!

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My TestimonyAlmost Nine Years Ago On July 1st, 2010 Something Very Tragic Happened That Not Only Changed My Life But The Lives O My Daughter Sarah Ann Especially! You See That Day Started Out As Just Another Normal Day. Sarah Ann, Gabe And My 29 Day Old Grandson Jacoby Came And Picked Me Up For My Appointment At The Portland VA Medical Center. Sarah Ann Was Driving, I Was Riding Shot Gun, Gabe Was In The Back Behind Me And Jacoby Was In His Car Seat Behind His Mommy. On The Way There I Noticed Jacoby Was More Fussy Than Usual For This Child Was Always Happy And I Was Blessed To Spend Most Of The Time With Him. On The Way Home Jacoby Again Was Being Very Fussy And I Thought I Saw Something Out Of The Corner Of My Eye But Just Shrugged It Off, You Know You Think You See Something But It Does Not Kick In Right Away. Anyway I Got Out Of The Car And Walked To The Back As I Normally Did And There Was Jacoby Facing Back And So I Began Playing Peek-A-Boo With Him And He Was Giggling And Laughing And When I Started To Walk Away He Would Cry So I Walked Back And Played Peek-A-Boo Again And Again Then I Said Grandpa Has To Go Now And I Will See You Tomorrow! This Was Indeed The Last Time That I Would Ever See My Grandson Jacoby Alive Ever Again. As I Was Watching TV It Me Like A Ton Of Bricks That What I Indeed Saw Out Of The Corner Of My Eye Was Real And That I Did Witness Gabe Strike Jacoby While In The Car. I Began To Freak Out And Panic And Something Told Me To Call Sarah Ann's Mom To Tell Her What I Saw And To Find Out If She Too Had Witnessed Anything Like This. As I Was Reaching For My Phone It Rang And Scared The S**t Out Of Me And I Answered It And It Was Sarah Ann's Mom And I Said hello, Then Her Exact Words Were: Jacoby's Dead! Freaking Out More I Managed To Find Out Where They Were And Left Immediately For The Hospital. When I Arrived Both My Family And Gabe's Family And Our Friends And Loved Ones Were There In Total Shock Not Knowing How Jacoby Had Died. The Police Were There Also And We All Thought Why? Then They Took Gabe Into Another Room For About And Hour And Brought Him Out In Handcuffs And Arrested Him For The Murder By Abuse Of Jacoby. We All Thought How Could He Do Something So Heinous To A 29 Day Old Child, His Own Son? We All Went Into The Treatment Room Where Jacoby Was Laying Lifeless On The Table With The Tube Still In Him And We All Got To Hold Him And Say Good-Bye To Jacoby And We Will Be With Him Soon. Then This Very Powerful Guilt Trip Hit Me For Not Speaking Up Sooner And I Blamed Myself For Jacoby's Death. July, August, September, And October I Was Not Taking Care Of Myself: Not Eating As I Should. Began Drinking Heavily And Using Drugs. Not Sleeping. I Got Down To 140 Pounds From 168 And Really Not Feeling Well. Then On October 4th, 2010 I Sat Down At My Kitchen Table Wrote A Detailed Su***de Note To My Family And Began Eating My Prescription Drugs Which I Had Been Saving Like Candy. I Lost Count After 30. I Went Next Door And Got Some Crystal And Went Downstairs And Got A Bag Of Herb And I Had My Beer In The Fridge And A Bottle Of JD. I Can Remember Lying On My Sofa And Began To Drift Off And I Felt Myself Leave My Body. I Heard A Very Loud Voice, A Very Angry Voice Say: "What Have You Done?" "Our Work Is Not Finished Yet" "Go Back For It Is Not Your Time!" Then I Remember Lying On My Sofa Again And Someone Was There Taking My Remote Controls For My TV And VCR And Switching Them From One Hand To The Other Like Playing With Me. I Did See Like In A Fog Three Angels Doing This. Then Must Of Woke Up And I Screamed Very Loud: "Knock That S**t Off!" There Was No One There. Then I Heard That Same Angry Voice Yell: "Get Your Ass To The Hospital Now!" I Managed To Make It To The Portland VA Medical Center, Still Not Sure How, And Stood In Front Of The ER Window And I Said: "I Just Killed Myself" And Went Out And Hit The Floor. After 2 Weeks In ICU And Being Jump Started Twice I Spent Three Months Up On 5C The Pysch Ward. While I Was There I Became Homeless For My Apartment Manager Had No Choice But To Evict Me. I Began Going To Classes And AA Meetings There And Trying To Get My Life Back Which I Just Threw Away. But I Did It! I Would Head Down To The Chapel On Sundays And One Sunday The Chaplain Asked Me If I Wanted To Come Up To The Pulpit To Share Something So I Did And We Sang A Couple Of Hymms. When I Returned To The Floor By My Surprise Everyone Was Clapping And I Asked What Was Going On. I Did Not Realize That The Sunday Services Are Broadcasted Live Throughout The Medical Center And Also Next Door At The OHSU. Yup! This Was My First Real Sermon Which Indeed Changed Everything. On December 29th, 2010 I Was Told That It Was Time For Me To Be Discharged For I Was Indeed Ready To Face This Life Again. But There Was Kinda Of Problem For I Was Homeless. So My Discharge Planner Suggested That It Would Be A Good Idea To Live In A Recovery Group Home. We Tried Lacey's House In Hillsboro, But No Beds. We Tried Oxford Houses, But No Beds. Then My Friend And Brother I Met There Turned Me On To Fairhaven Recovery Homes And I Went To Live There. Two Months Later I Was Blessed To Become Mentor/Manager Of One Of The Homes In Beaverton Which When I Found Out I Told The Executive Director (Dad) Are You Crazy? Which He Was Not! You See The Executive Director And His Wife (John And Candace) Are Known As Mom And Dad For They Do Take Very Good Care Of Their Children In Recovery For They Too Have Been There And Done That. Then I Did Something That No One Should Ever Do When They Are In Recovery Especially In The Beginning Stages And That Is Get Into A Relationship Before They Are Ready. I Moved Out And Then Everything Bad That Could Happen Did. So After A Couple Months I Again Heard That Voice Again Telling Me: "Call John!" So I Did And He Came To My Apartment And Helped Me Pack My Stuff And Take It To Sarah's Moms For Storage And We Drove Up I-5 To Hazel Dell And Pulled Up In Front Of This Huge Beautiful House. Another Blessing! Since I Was On SSI/SSD I Was Required To Do Twenty Hours Of Community Service And I Heard About The Xchange Recovery Store And Went There And Filled Out An Application And Began Working There. Started Out 20 Hours A Week But Soon Grew Into Forty-Seven Hours A Week And On Saturday's At Noon I Helped Set Up A NA Meeting Upstairs While I Was At Work. Every Saturday Night At 6pm I Would Attend The Xchange Recovery Service (Which I Still Do Via The Internet) Where I Met My New Recovery Family And Mom And Dad Of The Xchange Recovery Pastors Bill And Vicky. What Another Blessing This Was Indeed. On Sunday I Heard About This Most Amazing Huge Church Called Living Hope Where I Met Kinda Like My Idol And Someone Who Indeed Changed The Way I Look At Things Now. I Met My Pastor, My Brother, My Friend John Bishop. Every Service I Attended It Was Like God, Jesus, And The Holy Spirit Were Indeed Talking Directly To Me Through Pastor John And I Indeed Wanted And Needed More. Please Know This That No Matter What Happened Pastor John Bishop Will Always Be My Pastor And Absolutely Nothing Will Ever Change This! So Not Only Did I Attend One Service But All Three On Sunday The 9AM, 11 AM, And 1PM. During This Time I Did Attend Not Only NA Meetings But AA Meetings As Well Almost Everyday And My Recovery Family Began Growing And Growing. In Fact On One Sunday I Turned Around And Something I Still Cannot Explain Happened And I Noticed Not One But Several Of My Brothers And Sisters In NA Were There Like Filling Up A Whole Row. You Can Imagine The Great Big Grin I Had On My Face. Another Most Amazing Blessing! About A Year Had Gone By And Again I Heard That Voice Again But This Time The Voice Indeed Was Not Angry But Extremely Loving And Most Caring And I Could Sense Just A Little Pride In It. The Voice Told Me That I Was Indeed Ready And That It Was My Turn To Live And Have a Second Chance At This Life. His Life! So In February 2014 I Packed All My Stuff Into Two Suitcases And My Back Pack And The Big Stuff Sarah Ann Came Over And Picked Up For Storage And I Got On A Plane A Headed Here To The Beautiful And Blessed Philippines. You See I Met My Now Wife On Facebook In 2012 And We Fell In Love, Really Love! So Indeed This Is Where God Has Sent Me And Yes Indeed I Am Still Here And Not Looking Back. Never! Every Story Or Testimony Has Of Course A Beginning And This Is The Middle For As You Can Tell I Am Still Here My Every Morning Sitting Down With Our Father And Sharing His Word With Who Ever Will Listen. For I Learned From That Sign In The West Side Service Center In Beaverton At A Meeting: What We Share Today Can Save A Life Tomorrow! Including Our Own! Best Advice! Stop Pushing God Away! Stop Ignoring His Voice! Stop Making Excuses! Most Importantly Stop Dying! Start Living! Please Choose Life! Eternal Life! If You Have Not Accepted Jesus As Your Lord And Savior Do So Now! If You Have Not Been Baptized Do So Now! If You Find Yourself Having A Bad Life With Addictions, Job Loss Or Any Thing Negative Please Seek Help. Admit To Yourselves That You Do Indeed Have A Problem And Get To Meetings Seek Out Recovery For There Indeed is A Family Just Waiting To Take You In And Love You With This Most Unconditional Love And Welcome You With A Huge Hug! If You Are In Recovery Stay There! If You Have A Relapse Get Back Home! Well Here It Is And Yes And Most Indeed I Am Sticking To It! The Testimony Of Van George Shipley. Yes Indeed I Am Truly Celebrating My Birthday! Not Just Today But Everyday On This God's Earth! Again-Our Father! Again-Our Son! Again-Our Holy Spirit! Again-My Recovery Family! Thank You! Thank You For Listening! Amen!

My Testimony

Almost Nine Years Ago On July 1st, 2010 Something Very Tragic Happened That Not Only Changed My Life But The Lives Of Many.

My Daughter Sarah Ann Especially!